THE SIX GLASGOW POEMS IN "ENGLISH"
(Tom Leonard included this note in his +Poems+ (1973). As far as I know,
this is the only place it appears, and I suspect it was meant partly as a
joke. R.)
(1) THE GOOD THIEF: Hey Jimmy! Are you allright, eh? Still with us, are you?
Eh? Hey Jimmy! Am I right in saying you're a Pape? Am I right in saying
you're one of us, Jimmy? (One can) see it in your eyes - one of us. Hey! Hey
Jimmy! (It) looks like we're going to miss the game. Going, to miss the GAME
Jimmy! (Its) nearly three o'clock the now (just now). Dark, isn't it? Good
job they've got the lights (i.e. floodlights).
N.B. The author was brought up to believe that Christ died on the cross
promptly at three p.m. on Good Friday. Three p.m. is also usually the time
at which football matches start. In Glasgow, Catholics generally support
Glasgow Celtic, while Protestants usually support Glasgow Rangers. The Good
Thief is therefore assumed to be a Celtic supporter, who addresses Christ
shortly before 3 o'clock, as darkness descends on the earth. The reason for
assuming that the Good Thief was a Celtic supporter is because Christ said
to him, "This night thou shalt be with me in Paradise" - and "Paradise" is
the nickname for Celtic's football ground.
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